Hydrangea plant named ‘B-001’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Hydrangea macrophylla , ‘B-001’, that is characterized by its compact and freely flowering plant habit, its numerous basal branches, its large double sterile flowers that are pure white in color, its leaves that are dark green in color, and its resistance to powdery mildew.

Botanical classification: Hydrangea macrophylla.

Varietal denomination: ‘B-001’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea macrophylla and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘B-001’. ‘B-001’ represents a new lacecap type Hydrangea, a deciduous shrub grown for landscape use and for use as a potted plant.

The new cultivar is the result of a controlled breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Kurohonemura, Gunma Prefecture, Japan. The new cultivar arose from a cross made in 2008 between unnamed proprietary plants in the Inventor's breeding program; reference no. W-4 as the female parent and reference no. W-3 as the male parent. ‘B-001’ was selected as single unique plant in 2010.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first accomplished by the Inventor by softwood stem cuttings in 2010 in Gunma, Japan. Asexual propagation by softwood stem cuttings has determined that the characteristics of the new cultivar are stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent the characteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combination distinguish ‘B-001’ as a unique cultivar of Hydrangea macrophylla.

-   -   1. ‘B-001’ exhibits a compact and freely flowering plant habit.     -   2. ‘B-001’ exhibits numerous basal branches.     -   3. ‘B-001’ exhibits large double sterile flowers that are pure         white in color.     -   4. ‘B-001’ exhibits leaves that are dark green in color.     -   5. ‘B-001’ exhibits resistance to powdery mildew.         ‘W-4’, the female parent of ‘B-001’, differs from ‘B-001’ in         being more susceptible to mildew and in having leaf margins that         are more triangular. ‘W-3’, the male parent of ‘B-001’, differs         from ‘B-001’ in having single sterile flowers and in having         leaves that are larger in size. ‘B-001’ can be most closely         compared to the cultivars ‘Hanabi’ (not patented) and ‘Dancing         Snow’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,052). Both are similar to ‘B-001’         in having double sterile flowers that are white in color and in         having leaves that are dark green in color. ‘Hanabi’ differs         from ‘B-001’ in having a less compact plant habit, in having         less compact flowering stems, and in being less floriferous with         fewer flowers per inflorescence. ‘Dancing Snow’ differs from         ‘B-001’ in having more fertile flowers that are more visible in         the center of the inflorescences and sterile flowers that are         smaller in size.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance and distinct characteristics of the new Hydrangea. The photographs were taken of a 2 year-old plant as grown in a greenhouse in a 5-liter container in De Kwakel, The Netherlands.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a side view of the overall plant habit of ‘B-001’ in bloom.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of an inflorescence of ‘B-001’.

The photograph in FIG. 3 provides a close-up view of a leaf of ‘B-001’.

The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with the digital photographic and printing techniques utilized and the color codes in the detailed botanical description accurately describe the new Hydrangea.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of two year-old plants of ‘B-001’ as grown in in 5-liter containers in De Kwakel, The Netherlands. Phenotypic differences may be observed with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions. The color determination is in accordance with The 2007 R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:     -   -   Blooming period.—June to September.         -   Plant type.—Deciduous shrub, lacecap type Hydrangea.         -   Plant habit.—Compact.         -   Height and spread.—An average of 60 cm in height and 80 cm             in width.         -   Hardiness.—At least in U.S.D.A. Zones 5 to 9.         -   Diseases resistance.—Has been observed to have resistance to             mildew under the conditions grown.         -   Root description.—Fine.         -   Propagation.—Softwood stem cuttings.         -   Growth rate and vigor.—Moderate. -   Stem description:     -   -   Stem shape.—Round, solid.         -   Stem strength.—Strong.         -   Stem color.—Young growth; 144A, very slightly tinged N186C,             mature growth; 199C to 199D.         -   Stem size.—Up to 17.2 cm (excluding inflorescence), average             of 5 mm in diameter.         -   Stem surface.—Glabrous.         -   Internode length.—Average of 4.8 cm.         -   Branching.—An average of 14 basal branches, held upright and             to an average angle of 45° to soil level.         -   Lenticels.—Stems sparsely covered, average of 0.5 per             squared cm, average of 2 mm in length and 1 mm in width and             N186C in color. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Leaf shape.—Ovate.         -   Leaf arrangement.—Opposite.         -   Leaf division.—Simple.         -   Leaf base.—Obtuse to very short attenuate.         -   Leaf apex.—Apiculate.         -   Leaf margins.—Serrate (not deeply).         -   Leaf venation.—Pinnate, upper surface color; 144A, lower             surface color; 138B.         -   Leaf size.—An average of 9.6 cm in length and 6.1 cm in             width.         -   Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.         -   Leaf surface.—Upper surface glabrous, moderately glossy and             slightly rugose, lower surface smooth and very slightly             glossy.         -   Leaf color.—Young upper surface; between 137B and 143A,             young lower surface; 146B, mature upper surface; a color             between N137A and 147A, mature lower surface; 147B.         -   Petioles.—Average of 1.5 cm in length and 3 mm in diameter,             144A to 144B in color, glabrous and moderately glossy             surface. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence type.—Terminal compound corymb, lacecap in             form, comprised of sterile flowers rising above fertile             flowers.         -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—Persistent but color is             retained for about 3 to 4 weeks.         -   Inflorescence number.—One per lateral or sublateral stem if             pinched.         -   Inflorescence size.—Average of 8.9 cm in height and 17.6 cm             in width.         -   Flower number.—Average of 25 sterile flowers and 165 fertile             flowers per corymb.         -   Flower fragrance.—None.         -   Flower aspect.—Sterile flowers; upright to slightly outward,             fertile flowers; held upright.         -   Flower size.—Sterile flowers; average of 5.3 cm in diameter             and 2.4 cm in depth, fertile flowers; average of 2.2 cm in             diameter and 2.3 cm in depth.         -   Flower type.—Rotate.         -   Flower buds.—Sterile flowers; average of 1.1 cm in length             and 5 mm in diameter, obovate in shape, color is 145D and             145C at the tip, fertile flowers; average of 8 mm in length             and 5 mm in diameter, obovate in shape, color is NN155A and             144C at apex.         -   Pedicels.—Sterile flowers; held at an average angle of 30°             to main peduncle, average of 2.4 cm in length and 2 mm in             width, strong, matte and glabrous surface, 155C in color,             fertile flowers; average of 4 mm in length and 1 mm in             diameter, held at an average angle of 20° to vertical,             moderate strength, surface is matte and smooth, color is             144C, base tinged 166A.         -   Petals.—Sterile flowers; none, fertile flowers; average of             6, rotate in arrangement, deltoid to obovate in shape,             entire margin, broad bluntly acute apex, cuneate base,             average of 1.6 cm in length and 1.1 cm in width, upper             surface glabrous, matte and moderately velvety, lower             surface glabrous, matte and slightly velvety, when opening             upper and lower surface; 155C, when fully open upper and             lower surface; NN155D.         -   Sepals.—Sterile flowers; average of 10, broadly rhomboidal             to reniform in shape, an average of 2.4 cm in length and 2             cm in width, bluntly acute apex, broadly cuneate base, upper             surface glabrous, matte and moderately velvety, lower             surface glabrous, matte and slightly velvety, undulating             margins, color when opening upper and lower surface; 155C,             color when fully open upper and lower surface; NN155D,             fertile flowers; average of 5, obovate in shape, entire             margins, acute apex, broad cuneate base, average of 3.5 mm             in length and 1.5 mm in width, both surfaces glabrous and             matte, color upper and lower surface when opening; 145D with             apex 145B, color upper and lower surface when fully open;             155C with apex 145C to 145D. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Stamens.—Sterile and fertile flowers; no androecium present.         -   Pistils.—Fertile flowers and on some sterile flowers;             average of 3, average of 1 mm in length, stigma is             club-shaped and N155B in color, style is an average of 0.6             mm in length and 144B to 144C in color, ovary is 144C in             color.         -   Fruit and seed.—No fruit or seed observed to date. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea plant named ‘B-001’ substantially as herein illustrated and described. 